Charles Leclerc addresses disqualification and plank wear issues at US Grand Prix

Ferrari driver acknowledges surprise and focuses on improvement.

Charles Leclerc, the Ferrari driver, has addressed his disqualification from the United States Grand Prix and the plank wear issue that led to it. Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were both disqualified after their cars were found to be in violation of plank wear regulations. Leclerc stated that the discovery of “zero wear” on the plank during Friday’s practice was “no excuse” for the disqualification and emphasized the need for better anticipation of plank wear.

Leclerc explained that the disqualification came as a “complete surprise” to Ferrari as there was no indication of excessive plank wear during Friday’s practice when the cars could still be adjusted. He stressed that while there were no visible issues on Friday, the rules must be respected, and the team should work on better anticipating plank wear in the future.

Even as late as Saturday night, Leclerc said that Ferrari was confident there would be no issues with the car running too close to the ground. The team is currently analyzing the data to determine where the excessive wear occurred.

Leclerc denied that the primary contributor to the excessive plank wear was the bumps on the Circuit of the Americas track. He mentioned factors such as kerb riding and other variables that could contribute to wear. He acknowledged the need for better anticipation and preparation in the future.

Regarding the race strategy that saw Leclerc on a one-stop strategy and dropped him from pole position to sixth place, he explained that Ferrari had acknowledged the mistake and learned from it. He highlighted the importance of learning from such situations and making adjustments for future races.

Leclerc expressed optimism about Ferrari’s performance in the Mexico City Grand Prix compared to the previous year, where the team faced engine cooling issues. He noted that this year’s package is different and should perform better, indicating progress for the Italian marque.